Baked Salmon
Ju Cai, Karol, James, Anthaniel
"Do you guys remember James?"
"Who?" Anthaniel asked, slowly pulling out pots and pans. He wasn't shaking today.
"Would we know a James?" Karol looked over at Anthaniel, who stared at him dully. They both shrugged.
Ju Cai shrugged after them, glancing down to check an incoming text message on his phone. "We had a meeting just this past spring. I think we actually met you, Karol, the same time we met James."
"Oh, Malachi! Right, I remember him now. Brown hair, smug look." Karol nodded. "Is he coming here too?"
"Yep. I invited him. I don't think he likes me, but I'm pretty sure that he came here out of civility and, I don't know, hunger?"
"Well, he'll be upset if it's for the latter reason. We're just getting started.."
By the time Anthaniel had finished preparing all of the cooking tools, he still hadn't made the connection. "I don't think I know who James is," he said slowly, as though he was thinking of the words just as he was saying them. "Who is that?"
"He's the one from Philadelphia. He set up markets in South America with guys who have Economics degrees and know a lot about information technology or whatever," Ju Cai flicked his wrist, sighing. "We were all really jealous that he and Karol had good ideas in joining legitimate businesses. Remember yet?"
"Oh." Anthaniel nodded and opened up the fridge, but it still didn't seem as though the light went on in his head yet. It was probably as dark as his hair in there.
Karol stared at him for a moment before leaning in towards Ju Cai, nervously adjusting his tie. "Is he weird because of the Lithium?"
Ju Cai whispered back, shrugging incredulously. "Apparently 'stupor' is one of the many side effects."
"Jesus."
"That guy hasn't done shit." Ju Cai coughed and carefully pushed Karol away, clearing his throat. "Okay! I'm going down to make sure James gets here all right, so you two just wait a while. If Tagami gets out of the shower, tell him he'll have to wait for his clothes. If he asks why, they haven't dried yet."
"Alright." Karol nodded, smiling reassuringly, promising that nothing would go wrong. "Wait, you're going out in your socks?"
Ju Cai glanced down at himself, past the dark navy suit at his black feet. "Huh! I may as well go the whole way, right?" He took off his socks and wiggled his toes. Barefoot in a business suit was unusual outside of Paul on the cover of Abbey Road.
With that, Ju Cai left and Anthaniel offered a late response. "Bye."
Karol winced at the delayed reaction and moved into the kitchen, standing there awkwardly while pretending to be available for assistance. "So I've noticed you're not really talking all that much."
Anthaniel leaned down to preheat the oven and then straightened himself, swaying for a brief moment. "I don't like talking when I'm on medication." There was a pause. "Because there's still a lot going on inside my head, and I'm trying really hard not to talk everything out of me. My mind is so clear."
"You slurred everything."
"I was trying to talk fast before I spoke too much."
"Oh." Karol stopped to think. "That was a good four-five sentences. Is the delayed reaction part of the medication's side effects too?"
Anthaniel was quiet for just a moment, and then he nodded. "I can't stop thinking and it's hard for me to concentrate on what's going on."
"I thought Lithium was meant to de-stress?"
On a normal day, Anthaniel would've questioned how Karol knew about the little pink pills. "I don't feel stressed. My mood changed, my brain hasn't. So I can't stop hearing myself in my head, and my thoughts are distracting me from what I'm doing..." He trailed off.
"You sound like a crazy person," Karol said in German.
"I thought so," Anthaniel responded quicker.
"German easier for you?"
"Yes. I think in my native language."
Karol nodded and left it at that, unsure of how to carry the conversation further. He didn't know what Anthaniel was planning on cooking and therefore didn't know how to make himself a helpful presence, so he masked his idle state by shuffling around and wiping off the counters. Anthaniel had no reaction to it, and carried on with the dinner preparation as though Karol was invisible.
It was painfully quiet (at least, one of them thought so) until Tagami emerged from the bathroom, freshly showered and wearing nothing but a bathrobe. Somehow, now that his neck and the lower parts of his calves could be seen, he appeared older. The skin across his Adam's apple and the top of his feet weren't stretched as taut as it would have been even half a decade ago. Karol wondered if Anthaniel also had that illusion, being thirty years old. Then he wondered about himself, being two years older.
"Hey there, 'Gami," Karol said as friendly as possible, smiling. "How was your shower?"
"It was refreshing." Tagami heaved out a sigh and plopped himself down on the seat nearest to the kitchen to talk, taking care to lean his head forward over his lap so as to prevent dripping water on anything. "Remarkably so. Ju Cai said my clothes would be out here?"
"He said they haven't dried out yet." Karol paused, and then continued. "He stepped out to pick someone up."
"Ah," Tagami nodded.
"Are we the same height?" Anthaniel asked, furrowing his brows as though the question took some effort to get out. "You can use one of mine." He nodded over at a suitcase tucked beneath the table. "You can pick whichever you want, I don't care about you looking in my things."
"What are you doing with packed clothes?" Tagami cocked his head to the side, cracking his neck, and then reached down to pull on the handle, sliding the suitcase out.
"I've been staying at a hotel."
"Any reason why for?"
"No."
It may have been a lie, but Anthaniel seemed to be so glazed over that Tagami didn't try to press. "I won't be too long." The Yakuza stood up, straightened his back and took the suitcase to the bathroom.
"Were you planning on staying here?" Karol inquired, watching Anthaniel shut the oven door.
"Am planning."
"Where will Ju Cai be?"
"He said he would stay at a friend's house."
"Ah."
There were several loud knocks on the door, followed by Ju Cai talking at a volume just short of a yell. "Hey! I forgot my key. Open the door, my feet are cold!"
"Whose fault is that?" Karol rushed to open the door, finally relieved to feel somewhat useful after contributing nothing to the cooking. "Guest first was the custom, I thought?"
"Fuck no," Ju Cai rushed in, hopping a bit to warm up. After flopping down onto the couch he tucked his legs beneath him, shuddering. "And it's your fault because you pointed out my socks."
"I didn't tell you to take them off, I was implying you should have put shoes on." Karol sighed and averted his attention as James entered hesitantly, shutting the door and clapping his back. "Good to see you again!"
James flinched at the contact, seemingly displeased by the company. "Yes, good to see you again too. How have you all been?"
"Oh, fine, more or less." Karol rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, trying, for just a moment, to determine the outcome of the get-together. If everyone had a couple of drinks it would probably turn out decent. "How have you been, James? How's Philadelphia?"
"Not much different." James shrugged and glanced around the apartment, appearing impressed. "Two-story loft? This place is really, really nice."
"Thanks!" Ju Cai winked and looked up just as Tagami emerged from the bathroom. "Too bad I don't really like living here all that much. I don't remember seeing stripes on your suit, Tagami?"
"Hm? Ah, oh, this isn't mine." Tagami blushed faintly out of embarrassment and returned the suitcase to its former place beneath the dining table, but thought about a more convenient spot and relocated it against the wall instead. "Borrowed it from Anthan."
"How's it fit?" Anthaniel reached back to untie the apron and bowed his head to take it off from around his neck. After tugging his tie out of his shirt pocket to straighten it, he reached out to Karol, tacitly asking for his coat.
As Karol plucked the coat off the chair and tossed it over the counter, Tagami sighed and ran his fingers along the waistband. "It's tight around here. I think I may have gained some weight."
"Sharing clothes?" James took a seat on one of the stools nearby the counter, vaguely thinking that only chronic drinkers would be likely to have an imitated bar at home. "What's the basis on that weight thing?"
"When Anthan visited me in Tokyo, he had to borrow some of my clothes. It was a good fit then." Tagami shrugged.
"I've lost weight, so I don't think it's you." Anthaniel plopped down at the dining table, wiping some imaginary dust off the front of his coat. "I need to gain some pounds back."
"Is Deep coming to join us at all?" Karol inquired. He felt that they were similar, and consequently felt a bit lost without the Paki-Arab to moderate, as he usually has.
Ju Cai shrugged and frowned. "I tried to get in touch with him, but obviously it didn't work out as planned."
"Missing in action?" Karol rubbed his chin, looking worried.
"What about his tall friend?" Tagami flicked his hand upwards, gesturing for height.
"The lightning rod? Somewhere in heaven or hell, for all I know. None of his numbers work anymore and I haven't seen him." Ju Cai pouted, shrugged again. "I'd worry but it's holiday week. I'm gonna go 'Schrodinger's cat' and just suppose they're both doing okay."
"Best option if there's nothing we can do, I guess." Karol tsked, raising his brows momentarily and tossing his hand up. "Here's to hoping."
"Hey.." Anthaniel removed his shades and blinked, pointing at everyone one at a time. At first, James, "Beige," then Karol, "Brown," then Tagami, "Black," and lastly, Ju Cai, "Navy."
James pointed at Anthaniel curiously. "Gray?"
"Is he talking about our suits?" Karol immediately looked down at himself. "I always thought I looked good in brown."
"I think he was just trying to point out that we make a fascinating array of colors," Tagami snorted, smiling just a little. "This would make a neat picture."
"Totally irrelevant, but okay, nice one, junkie." Ju Cai arched against the couch, stretching and groaning quietly. "You guys all know why I invited you here, right?"
"Because it's Christmas on Friday and you wanted to spend time with all of your friends, to whom you are giving individual, lavish gifts to?" Karol smiled.
"Um..." Ju Cai smiled back. "Yes and no, my little freak."
"Not to be rude then, but why am I here?" James raised his hand and then let it drop, letting out a tired breath. "The first time I've ever met all of you was also the last."
"Well..." Ju Cai shrugged. "If you want to go home, feel free. But you're already here and I thought it would be nice, so don't be such a jackass, okay? If all you want to do is eat and then go home, then by all means. We won't stop you, but just--"
"I didn't mean it that way! Please calm down, Ju Cai." James put his hand over his face, shaking his head.
Ju Cai seemed to be stunned. "Hey, bro? Don't ever tell me to calm down in my own home. Alright?"
"Uh, sorry." James twisted his mouth off to the side and looked down, displeased at being forced to apologize.
"So what are you all planning to do for the holiday?" Tagami took a seat next to Ju Cai, who hugged him as soon as he sat down. "Hi." He patted the Triad's head fondly.
"I'm spending it with my other friends, most likely." Ju Cai yawned and dropped his head down onto Tagami's shoulder, considering sleep.
"I'm pretty sure I'll be with the family, and a handful of close friends." Anthaniel blinked and noticed that there was something wrong in the room. He returned his sunglasses to his face, and felt better again.
"I'm spending Christmas with my other group of friends." Ju Cai bristled, placing his hand down hard over his cell phone to minimize the vibration against his thigh. "Someone's calling me but I don't want to pick up."
"Don't, then. How are you spending your Christmas, 'Gami?" Karol took a seat on the floor, leaning back and supporting his upper weight on his palms. "I know I'm hanging by with someone nice."
"Well.." Tagami smiled and laughed sheepishly, shaking his head. "I came here on a whim, so I don't know yet."
"Is that so? You get here like, recently or something?"
"Just today. I showered a while after I got back from the airport."
"Oh my goodness, aren't you tired?" Karol gaped slightly, bewildered because even he was unable to patiently handle a flight from Florida to the upper east coast. "You must be exhausted."
"I am. It's early morning in Tokyo right now."
"You should take a nap," Anthaniel said, monotone. "You can spend Christmas with me and my family. Just sleep or something."
"Hmm, maybe." Tagami rubbed his eye with a fist and leaned against Ju Cai, sighing. "I am going to sleep like this if you don't move."
"That's too bad, stud, because your hair is wet and it's getting on my head." Ju Cai snorted and pushed Tagami off. "I've got comfy clothes you can borrow in my bedroom, so get up and go. But dry your hair first."
Tagami snickered, getting up and waving him off. "I'll dry my hair, I won't touch your clothes though. I'm comfier in a suit."
"Oh, so I'm not the only one?" Karol cracked up nervously, placing his hand on his chest. "I thought I was just strange."
James tried to fight the urge to say it, but after a sigh he left himself go. "You are all strange."
"Way to--" Ju Cai made a 'P' shape with his fingers, "--shit on us."
"P?" Anthaniel squinted at him.
"P for poop but I said shit."
Tagami clapped his hand over his mouth and giggled, shaking his head as he made his way upstairs to go sleep.
"Oh! That reminds me," Ju Cai leaned over the arm of the couch and punched at a large, wrapped box sitting on the floor. "Can I open this, Anthan? I know I should open it on Friday but I'm far too curious and I want to know now."
Anthaniel shrugged, holding the pose. "I don't have the power to keep you from doing so between the time I leave and Friday anyway, so go ahead."
"This is why people should never give me early gifts. I like to open them as soon as I get them." Ju Cai hefted the box onto the spot beside him on the couch and excitedly tore a line across the top, taking care not to appear too childish although it was too late.
Karol looked on in interest but leaned in towards Anthaniel to ask, "So what is it? That's a sizable box."
Anthaniel looked at him and furrowed his brows, almost confused. "What would you get for Ju Cai?"
A happy squeak was emitted from the center of the apartment as Ju Cai opened up the box and tugged out what was inside. The blanket was heavy and fuzzy, made out of wool in an argyle pattern. "Oh god, this is my new favorite thing."
he quickly wrapped himself up and rubbed his face against the fabric, purring softly